


Santa’s no Secret

by MeagstheWriter



Series: Chat irl [1]
Category: Power Rangers (2017)
Genre: Christmas Shopping, Connected to the chat fic, F/F, Found family love, Gen, Mentions of Tommy Oliver, OTE universe, Post-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-13 11:00:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12982635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeagstheWriter/pseuds/MeagstheWriter
Summary: Secret Santa shenanigans





	Santa’s no Secret

**Author's Note:**

> This is canon how they spent Christmas but it doesn’t take place until the sequel of On The Edge

Trini pulls up to Billy's house with a sigh. He had to be the one to suggest doing secret Santa. Why can't they just buy gifts the normal way and be done with it? She has way too many gifts to buy this year and she doesn't like spending her time shopping and her money on other people. Christmas shopping is especially the worst because entitled people think they can be assholes to retail workers, and she should know she works in retail. 

Trini checks her phone for the time then gets out to get Billy to go to Ranger Dinner. They have to be early because she's cooking tonight and she needs to see if she needs to go to the store to cook what she has in mind. Billy living down the street from her is a blessing, because whenever she's feeling stressed by her mother she just has to walk down the street. Not to mention his mom is a therapist, so free therapy whenever she comes over. Speaking of which Dr. Cranston is who opens the door and greets Trini with a hug. Once inside Trini is led to the couch to wait Dr. Cranston brings her a glass of water.

"Hi Trini how are you doing?"

"I'm fine Dr. Cranston."

"Ah ah ah what did I say?"

"If I'm not at your office or asking for your professional opinion I am to only call you Mama Cranston. Sorry sometimes I forget."

"That just means you need to come over more. Now what are you and my boy doing tonight? It's Friday so movies? He's so excited about that new Star Wars."

"Actually I think we're just going to Kim's for dinner. Whenever her parents aren't home she let's us takeover her house. We'll probably be there most of the night."

"Good I'm glad Kim has a support system in you guys when her parents aren't there for her."

"Hey mom, Trini you ready to go?"

Billy comes up the stairs from his basement workshop and smiles and the two of them. He knew Trini was there because his coin vibrated when she got there, but his mother loves talking to Trini, so he decided to give her some time with his friend. Dr. Cranston and Trini both stand up when they see him. Trini goes to put her glass in the sink and Candece hugs her son briefly, knowing that today was one of his good days and he's more receptive to touch on his good days. When Trini comes back Candece is just letting go of Billy and is handing him some money.

”You two be safe out on the road okay? I heard those rock things have been popping up in the town square again.”

Billy and Trini share a look at the mention of the puttys that surfaced this week. Even though Rita is on the moon she’s not dead so she can still cause chaos, especially if she still has the green power coin according to Zordon. They've been tasked with finding said power coin so it can be freed of Rita's essence and given to a new ranger, but so far nothing. If someone were to find it before they can, Rita could possess them and use them to unearth the Zeo Crystal and bring her back to Earth.

"We will don't worry mom. Let's go Trini."

"Bye Dr. Cranston."

On the drive Billy and Trini discuss their favorite comic book releases of the year and their new shared favorite Marvel's Runaways. Being around Billy brings out her inner comic book nerd, that she only let's out with her brothers. It's nice that she has someone who shares her interest in fictional characters and cartoons.

"Do you think the show will go there with Karolina and Nico?"

"I think they know their audience and that they would lose a lot of viewers if they don't. When do you think they'll actually run away?"

"Maybe like the season finale. There's ten episodes I wasn't surprised they dragged it out. I am excited to see if they go with PRIDE!plant Alex or not the next episode should give us a few clues."

"Yeah. I'm glad we have a show we can finally watch together." 

"You know the Netflix shows are too dark for me. I did see the Jessica Jones trailer though and it looked incredible."

"And we are definitely seeing the Miles Morales Spiderman movie that trailer was sick."

"I'm making a movie timeline there's a lot of them we need to see. Did you see Coco yet?"

"No. My mom wants it to be a family outing and we have to schedule it for when my parents are both off at the same time. I probably could have taken the twins six times by now if it wasn't for them."

Billy pats her on the shoulder while she drives and continues to Kim's house. When they get there they aren't surprised to see Zack already there, but they are surprised to see Kim's parents there. Lucas Hart let's the two slightly shocked teens in and they walk in to see Kim and Zack putting up a Christmas tree. Lucas notes their shocked expressions and chuckles snapping them back to reality.

"We'll be gone in a few minutes, I wanted to see these two put up the tree before we left. We just ask that you guys decorate the tree while we're gone. Along with cleaning up after yourselves, and if you want to make extra for us that would be great."

"Say no more Lucas say no more."

"Maddie is in the kitchen if you want to say hello. Billy why don't you help me bring up some more decorations from storage?"

"Sure thing Mr. Hart."

Maddie is washing dishes at the sink, probably making sure that she has utensils to work with. Trini instead of speaking goes to the fridge and takes inventory of things inside. She's gonna need to go to the store and grab a few things like she planned on doing, which was why she came early. 

"Hello Trini I didn't hear you come in. When did you get here?" 

"We got here about a couple of minutes ago Dr. Hart. Billy and I rode together."

"What did I say about that?"

"That if I'm not in your office I am to call you by your name not your title. But you've worked so hard for the doctorate, calling you by anything but that seems rude."

"Not if I tell you to. You're a friend of Kim's that practically makes you family, so please call me Maddie. Okay?"

"Okay. You and Billy's mom are so much alike she said almost the same thing when I called her Dr. Cranston when I picked up Billy."

"Not all mothers are like yours. You don't have to worry about how you act around us just be yourself."

"Okay I will. Can I ask you something?"

"As long as you don't call me doctor again."

"How does it feel raising both Kim and Zack?"

"Like I had twins instead of an only child. What's for dinner tonight? I'll pay you to make me lunch tomorrow."

"It was going to be chicken enchiladas with rice and beans, but the fridge is a little empty."

"Say no more. KIMBERLY!"

Kim skips into the kitchen with a smile and grins at Trini before speaking to her mother.

"What's up mom?"

"Get my credit card and take Trini to the store so she can get everything she needs to make dinner."

"That's not necessary I can pay for it myself."

"Nonsense dear, we clearly need to go grocery shopping anyway. I'm not going to have you spend your hard earned money on my house."

"Fine you win. You should have been a lawyer instead of a doctor."

Kim and Maddie laugh and Kim leaves to get her things on. In the car the two girls don't really talk, Kim knows that if Trini wanted to talk she would have spoken already. Kim knows when to speak and when not to speak around her so she just drives and listens to the radio. As she pushes the cart down the aisles she tries to keep her crush at bay, but it’s really hard. She needs Zack as a buffer to keep her head on “straight” and keep her in line around Trini. 

“Hey Kim? Kim? Aye!”

”Hmm? What’s up?” 

“You were zoned out you good?”

”Yeah just thinking I’m good. So what are you making tonight?”

”Enchiladas, rice and beans, and I don’t know what else because I need three things to make a full plate. Maybe some chips and guac?”

“Avocado is always on sale.”

”Yeah but then I gotta go back to the produce section to get more things.”

”You’re so lazy my god how do you have like three black belts?”

”Excuse me I have four now don’t disrespect me and my belts.”

”The weapons certifications counts as a belt?”

”No, but I’m buying one for myself anyway because I deserve one once this class is over.”

”You are actually a little bit insane you know that?”

”So are you. We both see Dr. Cranston twice a month remember?”

Trini winks at her and leaves Kim in the aisle to catch up with her in the next one. Ugh this is why she likes her so much, she didn’t have to wink at her like that! She tries to keep it inside because she knows Trini likes someone else, but sometimes it just slips out. Trini puts the last ingredient in the cart and they leave once everything is paid for.

"How is that going by the way? The therapy."

"It's good. She says I might have PTSD and that I should probably get my room remodeled or not sleep in there."

"My window is always open, and you know the boys can't say no to you. We got your back if you need us."

"Thanks Kim. I'll keep that in mind."

They get all the bags in the house and they go their separate ways. The boys and Kim continue decorating the family room and tree while Trini, and Jason when he gets there, cooks. There’s Christmas music playing and laughter being heard and it makes Trini smile. It reminds her of the feeling of Home. She feels the love surrounding the house and it feels like family, at least what family is supposed to feel like. 

“Jason can you go put the enchiladas on the table while I finish the rice and beans?”

”Yeah sure I’ll grab the guac out of the fridge too.”

Jason takes the tray of food out to the table, while she plates up the rice and beans. She pours the chips into a bowl when Zack comes into the kitchen. He bumps her playfully while grabbing plates, she punches him in the arm, and he smirks before leaving back out. Trini grabs the two bowls and follows him out too. The two of them work quietly and set the table for the five of them. By the time they’re done the table is ready and the food looks good, and that’s all she can hope for. They eat while Kim and Zack tell them about something that happened at work the other day, and Billy tells them about the project he’s working on. Trini and Jason talk about how obsessed with the Power Rangers their siblings still are.

After dinner is over Kim clears the table and comes back with a hat in her left hand and a plate of brownies in her right. Billy must of made then while she was at the store. 

”Names first, because if you get chocolate on my dad’s hat you’re washing it by hand. The brownies look incredible by the way Billy.”

”Thanks Kimberly can I go first?”

”It would be best to go in alphabetical order so sure.”

In order Billy, Jason, Kim, Trini, and finally Zack pull names out of the hat and check to see if they pulled their own name. Satisfied with who they got they destroy the plate of brownies as a team.

”Remember thirty dollar limit and even though it’s a secret santa we are getting gifts for everyone the SS gift is just special one for fun.”

”Alright Zack you know the rules, they cooked we clean let’s go.”

”I thought you cleaned because you can’t cook, and this is your house. I am a guest!”

”Zack you have a bedroom upstairs, this is your house too. Now get up!”

“I’m only drying you’re doing all the work! You see how she treats me? And I don’t have a room that’s the guest bedroom.”

”Zack!”

”God I’m coming relax!” 

Jason and Trini share a look and laugh. Both of them know a thing or two about sibling bickering and they are doing a lot of it.

“When did they become siblings?”

”I don’t know, but it’s weird to think about isn’t it?”

”Honestly I’m a little scared by this development. Anyway you can drive me home right? Mom doesn’t want me walking when it’s late and dark out.”

”Yeah sure thing whenever you’re ready to go.” 

"Probably after they finish the dishes, so we can say goodbye. Billy always wants to say goodbye."

"Always, he's raised right that way."

"We could all be more like him. The world needs more Billys!”

"Guys stop if I was capable of being embarrassed I would be blushing, and I know that was your goal. Please that's enough."

Jason and Trini laugh at the outburst and stop knowing that they reached their goal of getting Billy to say something to them. All of what they said was the truth and they meant every word, but there's nothing wrong with a little bit of fun.

After Trini drops the boys off and is home herself she pulls out a tiny notepad that she used to use for drawing. In it she writes down multiple ideas for each ranger's gift and a few for her family and Tommy. The surprise of the century isn't that she's an intergalactic superhero, but that she has a friend outside of the Rangers. Don't get her wrong she loves her team, they are her family, but Tommy Oliver is different. At least she wants her to be different. 

So she has a crush? So what it doesn’t have to mean anything unless she does something about it, and she is not going to do anything about it. The only reason she even likes her is because she’s the first other gay girl she’s met in this town and they have common interests. Not to mention Tommy is gorgeous and wear the hell out of a green letterman jacket, or anything she wears but especially that jacket. If Tommy was a cartoon that jacket would be in her constant wardrobe.

God listen to her go on about her. She’s a mess, and she’s been a mess since the first time she spoke to her and Tommy winked at her with those eyes and that smirk of hers. She needs to focus on something not Tommy Oliver related, like Christmas shopping before the rush and what she’s going to get everybody. That’s all she needs to do. Focus.

The next two weeks are spent shopping with the different rangers after training or before work. Jason Billy and Zack to be specific because they don't have cars. Trini is an excellent shopper, she gets in and out of stores very quickly, and when she doesn't see something there's Amazon. She steers clear of the thrift store because she doesn't want to run into Kim or Tommy in there, but she's gotta get Kim something so she goes in on Friday. She's grabbing a few tank tops and a vest or two because Kimberly Hart has never heard of sleeves. She just happed to look up when she sees the perfect gift for Jason, even though she had already got him something, and grabs it off the wall.

 _ **CrazyGirl:**_ do you know what size ring Kim wears?

 _ **Tarado:**_ yeah y? gonna pop the ? crazy girl

 _ **CrazyGirl:**_ tell me or Im taking your gift back

 ** _Tarado:_** fine god you never let me have any fun

Kim loves to wear rings on like each finger, so Trini hopes she'll like these that she picked out. All the gifts go right into a duffle bag under her bed when she gets home. The only person she has to get a gift for is Zack and she has no clue what to get him. What do you get for the boy who has nothing but lives like he has it all. The only thing he truly wants she can't give him and anything else would just be frivolous. 

She's definitely overthinking about it but she can't help it, it's Zack. She's known Zack the longest out of all of them and he's special to her. He has no idea how much he's helped her through ome really bad days by just being there. She just wants to show her appreciation for him, and it's hard to do for under thirty damn dollars.

"Hey kid you had a package from Amazon come today."

Trini looks up at her father and smiles at him in greeting. She takes the box from him and sets it on her bed. Michael watches her pull out the dufflebag from under her bed, put the box inside and then put it back.

"That whole box was gifts? I should have opened it."

"Too late now guess you'll have to wait until Monday."

"You okay? You seemed stressed when I came in."

"I can't think of what to get someone for Christmas."

"It's not a girl is it?"

"No dad it's not a girl. It's Zack."

"Oh good I don't think I'm ready to have that conversation about jewelry for significant others yet."

"I'll let you know when I get to that point in my life don't worry. What type of best friend am I if I can't get him a gift he'll actually like?"

"I'm sure you'll figure it out, like you said he's your best friend. You know him better than most people."

"Thanks for the advice dad."

"No problem. Now I have to go buy an expensive piece of jewelry for your mother. Want to go to the Reefside Mall with me?"

"Sure let me get a jacket and I'll meet you downstairs."

The idea for Zack’s gift doesn’t come to her until three days before Christmas, the same day as the secret santa. She’s picking up the twins from their karate class when she sees a weapons store across the street. She picks up a couple of things that interest her and something her and Zack can do together. As Rangers they get weapons but these are just for fun, besides she can’t take her ranger weapons home to practice with. That’s ranger rule number one, no one can know you’re a ranger. 

Trini doesn’t have time to wrap the gifts so she had got some of those pre-designed boxes and a few gift bags with name tags on them. She’s almost late to pick up Billy because she’s behind on wrapping, she’s also pretty sure she has tape on her beanie. That is later proven true when Dr. Cranston opens the door and pulls the tape off of her beanie with a chuckle. 

“You look tired.”

”I overestimated my gift wrapping abilities, I had to run to Walgreens and get some boxes. I’m a mess.”

”You’re not a mess Trini those designed boxes and bags were made for a reason. Come on in Billy is finishing up his last gift now.”

Trini relaxes while Candece tells her about her and Billy’s trip to the theater to see the last Jedi as an early gift for him. Trini tells her about how her brothers are obsessed with the Coco movie and they both want red hoodies and guitars for Christmas now. She tells the same story to Billy and he laughs and says that’s why representation in media is important and that she felt the same way when she watched One Day At A Time a month ago. Trini can’t really deny that she just makes a comment about him wearing his Finn jacket right now, but his smile is so big and happy she can’t even playfully make fun of him for it.

Zack opens the door to Kim's house and let's them in before dragging Trini into the kitchen to help him cook. Kim left to get Jason and her parents are doing last minute shopping, so Zack is the only one there. Billy bakes while Zack cooks and Trini has never seen two polar opposites side by side. Where Billy is a controlled chaos, Zack is literally a tornado, destroying the whole kitchen as he goes. She decides to help him so when it's time to clean up, she won't have to and Jason will. No offense red but she's just saving herself here.

Jason and Kim come in finally and they look incredibly tired. Jason flops onto a chair and Kim falls on top of him in a heap.

"You two good?"

"Puttys terrorizing last minute shoppers and they took forever to go away." 

"Why didn't you text any of us?"

"Because it wasn't a five ranger problem. Yeah it took a while, but Kim and I had it under control."

"I got to take pictures with so many little girls it was awesome."

"Lucky. Some people don't even believe I am a girl under the suit most of the time. Like hello there is a whole breast plate how dare you?"

"Less talking more chopping Crazy Girl I need those onions."

Trini rolls her eyes for Jason and Kim's amusement and takes a deep breath. She focuses on her armor and morphs into her suit to avoid onion stink. It's like the smell of bleach, it doesn't go away by just washing your hands. Zack always makes extravagant meals for them, with lots of spices and flavors, because his mother can't eating too much spice without getting sick. Tonight is no different because he made old school ramen in this huge pot that he had at home. The Harts will definitely have leftovers for the next few days, and probably on Christmas day too.

Like when they picked names, they eat first, and then take the party to the family room. Billy has a plate of cookies that he quietly made while Trini and Zack argued over how she should chop the vegetables for the soup. Kim and Billy insist on doing this around the tree and it's Billy, so no one can say no to him. That's how they got into this Secret Santa mess first place remember?

"So how are we doing this?"

"Alphabetical order? It worked the last time."

"So Billy opens gifts first or gives gifts first?"

"Open first. So that way there isn't any confusion. In fact here Billy. J is next on the list open mine first."

Jason hands Billy a gift bag and Billy pulls out a book. A cook book that says “Baking for the mentally different” on the front. No one says anything, but Billy doesn’t look upset or insulted so Jason starts explaining. 

“So the book was written by an autistic pastry chef who owns a bakery in Boston. The book is for about how he uses baking to calm down and ease his quirks, and then there’s some of his favorite recipes. I thought Billy would like it.”

“I do Jason thank you this is an incredibly thoughtful gift.”

”Alright go for it Kim.”

Kim grabs a box that looks like it could be a book or a picture. It turns out to be a signed picture of John Boyega in his Finn costume. Billy doesn’t even take it out of the box, afraid to touch it and smear the glass of the frame. He doesn’t speak for a moment but Kim does, explaining how she got a photo of the British Star Wars actor.

”My dad, who’s British, went to school with him and a couple of his friends. They kept in touch all this time so when I told him I needed a gift for you he said he had it covered. Merry Christmas Billy.”

Billy hugs Kim so fiercely that if she wasn’t a power ranger she would have trouble breathing, but she just hugs him right back. When they let go Jason looks down at his gift for Billy and frowns.

”Well now my gift looks like crap next to yours Kim, maybe you should have went last.”

”You’re one to talk I have to go next!”

”Hey Trini whatever you got him will be fine, it’s Billy.”

Trini rolls her eyes and hands Billy his gift anyway. Kimberly definitely should have went last. The sound of Billy’s gasp makes her smile. He pulls out an exact replica of the black hoodie Miles wears in the comics, a black hoodie with red spray paint on it to resemble the mask he wears. Trini had some leftover paint, so she had a little bit of arts and crafts time.

”Trini did you make this?”

“Yeah I had some extra red paint laying around so I hooked it up. There’s something else in there too.”

Under the black hoodie is a blue hoodie spray painted to look like his ranger mask, so he has one of his own mask and one of his favorite characters. Zack goes last and he gives Billy a pack of leather bound journals. Everyone is confused for a second so Zack explains why he got them.

”So Billy talks a lot and I know he’s been editing himself for our benefit. So this way with the journals he can write down everything and not edit himself as much. Plus if he has an idea he can write it out and come back to it later.”

“Thank you Zack, although I’m probably going to need more than three, this is nice.”

”Alright who was the secret santa? My money is on Kim.”

”It was me actually, that’s why I went all out with the autograph.”

”Alright my turn!”

Billy grabs a small box and hands it to Jason with a smile. It’s two T-shirts one with the Peter Parker Spider-Man mask, and one with Peter and Miles on it with their arms around each other. The symbolism is pretty clear to Trini that Jason is Peter and Billy is Miles, but Billy still explains it for everyone.

”I remember you said Peter is your favorite superhero so I thought I would get you something that represents you and me. You’re Peter and I’m Miles.”

Jason hugs Billy for as long as Billy is comfortable with and then pulls away. Kim gets up next and hands him a bag. He pulls out a bunch of pins and smiles at Kim. 

“I can’t believe you remembered that.”

”Jason told me that he collects pins and puts them on his jean jacket, the big one that he never wears, now you have a bunch of them and there’s one that’s custom made for you.”

”Is it the “Token White Friend” one?”

“Yup!”

The other four laugh and eventually Jason does too, probably because Billy and Trini’s laughs are infectious. Trini gets up next and hands Jason his gift. Inside of it is a pair of noise canceling headphones and two red flannels. 

“So when you need to drown out the world, you won’t have to borrow my headphones to do it. The flannels are just because a  good ole boy like you could always use some.”

”Are these the same headphones you have?”

“Yep. Perfect for drowning out idiots wherever you go. Trini approved!”

”Okay infomercial it’s my turn. Here captain.”

Zack made Jason a scarf because he can do actually useful things like knit and build things. Jason puts it on immediately and smiles the biggest smile she’s ever seen him smile since she’s met him. 

“Okay who was it?”

”It was me big red.”

”Thanks Trini I know I’m gonna get some use out of these headphones. Alright it’s Kim’s turn.”

Billy got Kim a jean vest that he destressed and it has a bi pride flag sewn into the shoulder, and a bi pride flag blanket for her room. The vest also has a hood on it so she can wear it any season she wants to. Under all that is a book about a bisexual Asian girl called Not Your Sidekick and Kim is honestly tearing up. She instantly puts the vest on and smiles at how well it fits. Jason got her three funkos, all of them either, brown skin, or queer female characters. One is Valkyrie from Thor, the second is Wonder Woman, and the third is Sara Lance from Legends of Tomorrow. Trini hands her the shirts and rings and is happy that Kim had been looking for one of the rings she got for her. Zack also made Kim a scarf but it’s the colors of the bi flag and it has a little pink lightning bolt patch on it. 

“Thanks guys I love all of them. Now who was it?”

”We actually got each other what are the odds of that?”

Kim hugs Billy and then it’s Trini’s turn to open gifts. Billy’s gift is a replica of America Chavez’s jean jacket and a book called Juliet Takes a Breath which happens to be by the writer of the America Chavez comic. Jason got her a America funko because she actually doesn’t have one yet and a tiger plush “to protect her at night”. Kim got her a pack of spray paints and some paper to practice on. Zack made her three beanies and the yellow one has two patches on it, a little rainbow and a yellow lightning bolt, one on each side. 

“Why these colors Zack?”

”Because I’m tired of always seeing you in the same gray one. I thought you could use some color in your life.”

”You’re my secret santa aren’t you?”

”You know me too well crazy girl, yeah it was me. That means Jason is mine.”

“Yep. Billy is still going first though.”

”Not before hot chocolate. Can’t be Christmas without it.”

The kids all look up and smile at Mrs. Hart and each take a mug to drink while they eat the last of the cookies. As Billy hands Zack his gift Trini has never felt so warm and surrounded by people who care about her in her life. These are the people that care about her no matter what she says or does. This is her family.

Billy's gift is a framed picture of their fathers at the mine, and a wallet. Jason got him a nice watch that he got from Marshalls, so he respected the budget. Kim got him two cookbooks for new things to try when he cooks. Trini got him a pair for nunchucks.

”Trini wins.”

”I have a pair too, so we can learn how to use them together.”

”I’m so down. You guys want to watch a Christmas movie before you have to go?”

”You want to ask the person that actually lives here?”

”You’re right! Papa Lucas! Can we watch a movie?”

“Sure thing Zack I’ll get the popcorn ready we can watch The Grinch. It’s Kim’s favorite.”

And so the five rangers and The Hart’s all watched The Grinch and Trini felt the happiest she’s felt in a long time. That feeling will probably be ruined by the time she gets home, but she feels it now so she snuggles up with her tiger plush and Zack and watches the movie with her family. 

**Author's Note:**

> For clarity  
> Trini pulled Jason  
> Billy pulled Kim  
> Kim pulled Billy  
> Zack pulled Trini  
> And Jason pulled Zack  
> Hope you enjoyed it


End file.
